Improvement in elevators



H. H. BLAKE.

ELEVATOR.

N0.184 ,133. fatented Nov. 7,1876..

NITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE HENRY H. BLAKE, OF'PITTS-BURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,133, dated November"7, 1876; application filed November 1, 1876. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. BLAKE, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hoisting- Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side view.Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views.

This invention relates to hoisting-machines; and consists in providingmeans whereby the platform or winding mechanism, at any point in theascent or descent, may be disengaged from the power, and the platform orcage allowed to ascend or descend rapidly by the force of gravitation,so as to save time while traveling empty.

Much time is lost, power wasted, and fuel consumed in transporting theempty cage or platform in power-elevators, which is done slowly. This isparticularly patent in cases where much freighting is done from onelevel to another, as very much valuable time is lost in the return ofthe cage for a fresh load. There are, indeed, devices for shifting thegearing so as to'vary the speed to go slowly with load, and rapidlywithout; but the power is wasted here also. Now, I propose to constructthe apparatus so as to be capable of operation in such way that bypulling a rope,

pushing a rod, or by any other means, the liftingdrum or windingmechanism can be instantly thrown out of engagement with the power, andthen gravity comes in play, and the cage or platform ascends or descendsat any desired speed independently of the power. Then, in like manner,the power and winding mechanism may be instantly geared or engagedtogether, for the raising or lowering of the loaded platform. I

Of course to have gravity exert any influence on the platform, thelatter must, in counterpoised elevator-cages, somewhat preponderate overthe weight, or the operator riding on it could constitute the extraweight; or if the opposite effect is intended, so as to raise the emptyplatform, the counterpoise should overbalanoe the latter.

In the drawings I illustrate a simple device for disengaging the wheels.7

A is the platform, carried by rope a, which, passing over the drum,carries a weight, B. The drum is operated, when carrying a loadedplatform, by means of a pinion, b, fixed on the shaft ofa drive-wheel,O, and taking into the toothed wheel on the drum. The bearing 0 of thisshaft is slotted laterally, as shown, and a lever, D, pivoted on itbears against a projection of the bearing 0. The end of the shaft isthrown out, normally, by the spring 8, and is forced in by the pivotedlever. To the latter a rod is attached, extending downwardly for theoperator.

By pushing, or pulling this rod, the lever-D is raised or depressed, andthrough it the shaft of drive-wheel O is thrown,respectively, away fromor toward the cogged drum, and, therefore, the two toothed wheels out ofor into engagement.

Of course this result could be effected by many well-known devices, orothers within the reach of a skilled mechanic.

The invention applies equally to all kinds of power hoisting-machines,and I do not confine myself to any one kind.

One great advantage in it is that, without the expense of any extraspeeding-gear, I can cause my empty cage, or its equivalent, to eitherascend or descend with any degree of rapidity I desire. Particularly isthis the casein a warehouse, where a large quantity of material is to becarried up and stored in a short time, because, after a load reaches thefloor it is designed for, thedrum or pulley can be released, and thecage returned by gravity very rapidly to the lower floor. Equally greatis the advantage obtained in hotels when bell-boys are summonedfrequently to different floors. It might with facility be applied tocranes, windlasses, 85c.

I claim- 1. In a power hoisting-machinqthe combination of the windingelement with the power element, either of which is capable of Intestimony that I claim the foregoing; I engagement with, and totaldisengagement have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of from, theother, substantially as and for the March, 1876.

purpose specified. v HENRY H. BLAKE.

2. The combination of lever D, shaft of Witnesses: wheel 0, slottedbearing a, with projection, THos. J. MGTIGHE,

and spring 8, substantially as shown. SAMUEL ANDERSON.

